1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a system for allowing customers to search an inventory of items such as parts, quickly obtain a price quote, receive bonus points towards a discount, and instantly order the required part on a real time basis.
2. Related Art
Business-to-business commerce has been revolutionized in the last few years. Computerization and Internet communication have substantially altered the landscape for doing business. The use of personal computers, both in the home, as well as in the business place, and the recent pervasive nature of the Internet, has allowed individuals and companies to order different products without requiring the individual or the company to physically travel to a place of business or telephoning a product provider or physically completing an order form.
A number of United States patents have recently issued directed to utilizing the Internet to order products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,413, issued to Webber et al, describes a system for real-time shopping in which a network host maintains product/service information from a variety of merchants. The system would be able to take orders from the network host's customers and would then forward these orders to the respective merchants. However, the Webber et al patent does not describe a system in which real-time quotes could be provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,683, issued to Johnson et al, discusses an electronic sourcing system in which a computer would maintain a catalog database including product information. This particular system would check the availability of the items requested and would generate one or more purchase orders for the desired items from inventory locations stocking these items.
However, the Webber et al and Johnson et al patents are not directed to a situation in which a middle-man is endeavoring to obtain products from a wholesaler for a retailer client. More specifically, neither of these patents are directed to the area of supplying computer components from the wholesaler to a resaler. In this industry, a customer-user places an order with the wholesaler that sources a large inventory of often hard-to-find components. The customer must know quickly whether the wholesaler has the particular component in its inventory or can readily access the component. Additionally, the price for obtaining this item must be immediately producible. An order must then be capable of immediate placement. Of further importance is the ability of the wholesaler to blind-drop shipments. By this it is meant shipping the orders directly to the clients of the customer with the customer's name and return address on the package and not the address of the supplier or the original equipment manufacturer.
Provisions for incentives to the customers are necessary to attract business. Volume discounts are a well-known technique for accomplishing this end. Several recently issued United States patents are directed to systems which would attract customers. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,774,870 and 6,009,412, both issued to Storey, discuss a fully integrated on-line interactive frequency and award redemption program which would calculate award points based upon purchases a user made on-line. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,391, issued to Ikeda et al relates to a point-service system in an on-line shopping mall. Points are issued to a customer corresponding to a purchase amount. A point storage device stores the number of points accumulated by the customer. A points issue ratio and points redeeming ratio can be set for each business forming the on-line shopping mall.
However, none of these patents describe a system utilizing creative, visual incentives necessary to provide customers with bonuses that can promote sales.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for reselling computer parts which allows customers to almost instantaneously determine available inventory, correlate to a manufacturer part number, and rapidly place the order. Additionally, although the present invention describes a system for reselling computer parts, it is envisioned that this invention is not so limiting and could be utilized in various fields.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for the resale of computer components which operates through a website on the Internet.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system for the resale of computer components while advising customers of their earlier purchases, reporting on earned discount credits and rapidly displays the building of these credits. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system for resale of computer parts on a website of the Internet which displays a seller's membership in a certified organization to increase the customer's confidence in the quality of service.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an exchange platform allowing a number of vendor customers (sellers) to submit inventories for review by a number of exchange customers (buyers).
Still another object of the prsent invention is to provide a system allowing the exchange customers to order inventory through the exchange platform.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exchange platform which would automatically poll the vendor customers to update the inventories of each of the vendor customers.